The National Football League (NFL) is on a mission to boost its profile by exploring opportunities in numerous international markets.
The United Kingdom (UK) is among the regions where the NFL has made significant strides, primarily as a result of staging regular season games there.
Fixtures staged at Wembley Stadium and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium have proved to be a massive hit with American Football fans in the UK.
Intriguingly, the relationship with Tottenham has triggered interest among NFL investors, who are part of a consortium bidding to take over the club.
If the deal comes to fruition, the prospect of even greater ties being forged between Tottenham and NFL would be significantly enhanced.
An NFL game was first hosted in the UK at Wembley in October 2007, when the New York Giants claimed a 13-10 victory over the Miami Dolphins.
The UK has remained a key market since then, and the interest has expanded to talks about the prospect of London being awarded a full NFL franchise.
The Jacksonville Jaguars have been touted as an existing team which could potentially relocate, although their fans would be resistant to the idea.
The Jaguars are owned by businessman Shahid Khan. He also owns Premier League club Fulham – a factor which has influenced the relocation conversations.
However, given the logistical challenges a London-based franchise would face, the NFL will likely resist the temptation to head down this route.
They remain committed to broadening their horizons in international markets by staging selected regular season games in nations where American Football is popular.
The NFL’s debut on mainland Europe was in 2022, when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Seattle Seahawks played the first-ever regular-season game in Germany.
The country has subsequently become a permanent fixture on the International Games schedule and is unlikely to lose that status anytime soon.
One of the primary drivers for the NFL’s success outside the US is the increased access to the league and its content through digital media platforms.
The NFL has expertly leveraged social media and live streaming services to boost its global profile and establish American Football as a genuine rival to sports such as soccer and rugby.
The NFL’s Global Markets Program has also become an essential tool in the league’s ambitious bid to build fandom and brand awareness.
All 32 clubs now officially participate in the program across 21 international markets as the NFL continues to broaden its global horizons.
Clubs are awarded marketing rights for a five-year term and can pursue activities that are consistent with what they undertake in their home market.
With other initiatives such as Flag tournaments and international academies in the mix, the NFL is well on its way to achieving its global aims.
NFL International Games 2025
The schedule for the 2025 NFL International Games features seven matches in Brazil, Republic of Ireland, UK, Germany and Spain.
The fixtures generate massive interest in each of the markets, and demand for NFL live streams is off the scale when each of them are played. Here is the 2025 schedule:
September 5: Kansas City Chiefs 21-27 Los Angeles Chargers – Corinthians Arena, Sao Paulo, Brazil
September 28: Minnesota Vikings 24-21 Pittsburgh Steelers – Croke Park, Dublin, Republic of Ireland
October 5: Minnesota Vikings vs Cleveland Browns – Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, UK
October 12: Denver Broncos vs New York Jets – Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, UK
October 19: Los Angeles Rams vs Jacksonville Jaguars – Wembley Stadium, London, UK
November 9: Atlanta Falcons vs Indianapolis Colts – Olympic Stadium, Berlin, Germany
November 16: Washington Commanders vs Miami Dolphins – Bernabeu Stadium, Madrid, Spain
Related Topics